


Writing History In (One Step At A Time)

by Moon_Blitz



Category: Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio), Pocket Monsters: Gold & Silver & Crystal | Pokemon Gold Silver Crystal Versions
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Light Angst, TPP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-15 17:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1313236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moon_Blitz/pseuds/Moon_Blitz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stranded, the Doctor meets a strange girl with a very familiar name. They set out on a journey together, each searching for something they lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who aren’t aware, Twitch Plays Pokemon accidentally restarted their game after they beat the Elite Four, and got as far as choosing the girl character before a mod rebooted the stream. This girl become known as “The Girl Who Never Was”, a title also shared by one of the Eighth Doctor’s audio companions. Someone asked for a crossover, and so this fic was born.

Chapter 1 - Arrival

 

The Doctor idly flicked a few switches, debating where to go next. He felt the need for a break, for recent events had left him drained in every sense of the word. Still, he wasn’t the type to take a full-blown vacation, especially not by himself. He would simply rest, then. Somewhere quiet and not liable to be invaded or blown up while he was there.  
  
It took another day or so of thinking, but he eventually decided to go to one of the planets Earth. It was one of the countless planets humanity had named after their homeworld as they had spread across the universe, and it was home to a fascinating culture, based entirely around the native animal population. Pokemon, they were called, and humans used them for pretty much everything once they had learned they could be tamed. As he navigated the TARDIS towards the time he wanted to land in, he pulled up some of the planet’s most recent history on the scanner.  
  
“So…a boy A.J. is the most recent Champion,” he murmured to himself, studying the image of the child that appeared on the screen. He was about ten, with black hair poking out from beneath a backwards hat and a friendly smile, although there was a strange look in his eyes that the Doctor couldn’t quite place. From the little knowledge he had on Pokemon, his team seemed pretty diverse as well. “Let’s go pay the new Champion a visit!”  
  
As he started to punch in the exact coordinates, the TARDIS gave a sudden jolt and part of the console exploded, sending sparks everywhere. Backing away as another shower of sparks threatened to set his jacket alight, the Doctor was forced to grab onto one of the steel pillars ringing the console as the time machine started to rock violently. Lunging for the controls in between explosions, he hit the materialization switch and hoped he wasn’t about to land somewhere nasty.  
  
Happening to glance up at the scanner, he stared as the image of A.J. flickered and vanished, a picture of another boy appearing half a second later. It stayed for only a moment, but he was able to catch the name ‘Red’ and see that he had an even more haunted expression than A.J. Another image flickered onto the screen, before it abruptly went black, but the Doctor wasn’t able to see anything meaningful expect that whoever it was had an interesting hairstyle.  
  
The TARDIS landed with a thump then, and wheezed several times before going silent and dark. A quick inspection amid the smoke showed that the power supply was critically low, rendering flight impossible. “Looks like I’ll be getting that vacation after all,” he sighed, patting the console in sympathy. Hopefully wherever he was had the means to help him repair his TARDIS, otherwise he could very well be stuck until his fellow Time Lords sent him replacement parts. If they even realized he was in trouble within the next few centuries, that was. Well, time to see where he had ended up.  
  
Poking his head out of the door cautiously, he breathed in the cool night air and smiled. The planet was habitable, at least, and his first impressions was that it seemed pleasant enough. Opening the doors to vent the smoke and other fumes the crash had released, he stepped out and looked around. He had landed next to a thick forest, the dense trees and bushes making travel within it unlikely. Luckily, there seemed to be a path of sorts off to his right leading to some tall grass, which he hoped he could pass through easily.  
  
While he waited for the air inside the TARDIS to clear, he looked up at the night sky. Having no idea where he was made picking out familiar stars and planets difficult, but the act of star-gazing helped to soothe his still-raw nerves. The night was quiet for the most part, but he could hear faint rustlings from the forest and nearby grass from time to time. Local wildlife, he concluded after a failed attempt to creep up on a nearby creature caused it to bolt in fright.  
  
“Alright, lets see if there are any settlements nearby,” he murmured as he watched the moon rise above the trees. Standing around waiting just didn’t suit him, and the TARDIS interior seemed sufficiently vented enough. Making sure the doors were locked, he stuck his hands in his jacket pockets and strolled towards the tall grass. He wasn’t going far, so there was no need to bring anything with him. The grass wasn’t as tall as he first assumed, only coming up to his knees at its highest point. As he walked, he noticed a set of small glowing eyes looking at him, but the creature darted off when he stopped for a closer look.  
  
The forest around him soon thinned out into a more meadow-like landscape, dotted with occasional strands of trees, so the Doctor paused and looked around a bit more. The section of ground he stood on was more elevated that some of the surrounding area, so he was careful in approaching the edge. The slope didn’t appear too steep, so he figured he could easily jump or slide down if need be. Something shining through the trees caught his attention, and he smiled. Artificial light was always a good sign.  
  
A quick jump took him off the ledge, and the Doctor picked up his pace as he sighted signs of a pathway leading towards the light. A town, perhaps? No, the number of lights were too small. A village, more like. Dirt crunched under his shoes as he reached the path and the trees closed in again, and he walked along comfortably until he reached the edge of the settlement. Small, as he had assumed, but the rather imposing building to his left indicated that there was something important here.  
  
The lights he had seen were coming from the large building, but he saw now that there were simple security lights, left on and night to deter robbers and the like. It took him only a moment to try the doors, finding them locked. A sign near the building caught his eye, and he read the large words printed on it. “Professor Elm’s Laboratory. A lab, in a place like this? Interesting.”  
  
If the lab was locked, then the other residences were probably locked as well, an the inhabitants asleep. He didn’t see any benefit from waking someone up, especially if it was late at night, so he decided to find a place to sit and think until morning. The glint of moonlight off water intrigued him, so he slowly made his way towards it, glancing curiously at the homes he passed along the way. No one was about, not even a watchman, so he figured that this place must be pretty peaceful.  
  
Finding himself on the banks of a wide river, the Doctor sighed as he stared out at the water. Wherever this place was, it was certainly pleasant to look at.  
  
“You look lost.” The sudden voice made him turn in surprise, and he realized a young girl was sitting under a nearby tree, nearly lost in the shadows.  
  
“I suppose I am rather lost,” he replied. It was true – he hadn’t the fainest idea where or when he was. “What is this place?”  
  
“New Bark Town.”  
  
The Doctor frowned slightly, the name ringing a bell. New Bark Town. Professor Elm. It couldn’t be…  
  
“New Bark Town, Johto?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Unbelievable. He had ended up exactly where he wanted to be, give or take half a mile. He’d have to congratulate the TARDIS when he got back. “Perfect! Is A.J. around?”  
  
“A.J.?” the girl repeated, sounding puzzled. “No one called A.J. lives here.”  
  
“What? Unless…ah, I must have come before he becomes Champion.” Understandable, given the violent crash. “Who is the current League Champion?”  
  
“Red, from Pallet Town. Or he should be, but he vanished three years ago,” the girl answered.  
  
That was odd. From what he remembered, Red was the previous Champion before A.J. And yet, this girl claimed that no one by the name was here. “Have you lived here long?” the Doctor asked, decided to approach the matter from a different direction.  
  
“Yeah, all my life.”  
  
“And no one by the name of A.J. has ever lived here?”  
  
“That’s right. You really are lost, aren’t you? Did the voices mislead you too?” She sounded almost hopeful as she asked the second question.  
  
“Apparently so. Wait, voices? What are you talking about?” Granted, he talked to himself a bit, but he doubted that was what she was getting at. Still, something was wrong here. Where was A.J., and what was this girl hiding?  
  
“Ah…oops. Never mind, it’s not important.” The girl got up then, and he realized he was scaring her off.  
  
“Wait, wait, forget I asked. Why are you out here so late?” he asked quickly, and she paused, considering his question.  
  
“I couldn’t sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day, assuming I’m able to do anything right…”  
  
“Oh, are you getting your first Pokemon? No wonder you can’t sleep, then.” The Doctor stepped towards her slowly, trying to make out what she looked like. She looked about to right age to become a Trainer, judging by her height and voice. “I’m the Doctor, by the way. What’s your name?”  
  
“Charley.”  
  
His hearts stopped for a moment, and he briefly wondered if he was about to faint. Charley. Taking a deep breath, he looked back to the river, letting the steady flow of the water calm him. It was a coincidence, nothing more. It was a fairly common name after all, but to encounter it so soon didn’t made it hurt any less.  
  
Turning back to her, he did his best to smile. “Nice to meet you, Charley. And to answer your previous question, yes, I am very, very lost.”  
  
He could tell that she was studying him intently, and he wished he could see her better. But the nearest streetlamp was too far away, and the moon wasn’t bright enough to penetrate the branches of the tree she stood under.  
  
“A lost doctor, looking for a person who doesn’t exist…” she murmured, almost to herself. He shifted, uncomfortable at how accurate that was. “You don’t have any Pokemon, do you?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Then how’d you get here?”  
  
“The…vehicle I travel in broke down just outside of town, so I walked the rest of the way,” he explained, deciding to keep the exact details vague.  
  
“You’re lucky you weren’t attacked by wild Pokemon. So. Lost, no Pokemon, and no easy way to get around. We’re kinda the same, in a weird way.” She paused, thinking, and the Doctor wished he could bring himself to think of her with her name. But the memories were too fresh, the pain too deep.  
  
“I suppose we are,” he said after a moment, suddenly desperate to fill the silence between them. “You don’t suppose Professor Elm would consider giving a Pokemon to someone like me, hm?”  
  
“I dunno. Probably not, but you could always ask. The lab won’t be open until the morning, though,” she replied, tipping her head towards the building in the distance.  
  
“Understandable. What time is it, anyway?”  
  
“I’m not sure. My Pokegear broke last week, and it’s not repaired yet. Well after midnight, I think.”  
  
“Then you better go home and try and sleep a little bit. You’ll need all the rest you can get.” This time, his smile wasn’t as strained, his voice wasn’t as tense.  
  
It seemed to reassure her, for she nodded and answered, “I guess you’re right. See you in the morning, Doctor.”  
  
“Indeed. Good night.” He watched her walk off, examining her from the back. Her hairstyle was certainly unique, with two short ponytails sticking out at right angles from the back of her head, and he wondered it it was a product of the genetic tinkering humanity had done before they settled this planet. Or perhaps she simply used a lot of hairspray. Still, it seemed oddly familiar. He waited until she had entered her home, then settled down by the riverside, content to watch the river and try and figure out his next move.


	2. Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mysteries increase as their journey begins.

 

 

Chapter 2 - Beginnings

  
“Morning, Doc.”  
  
He lifted his head at her voice, shaking off the drowsiness that still clung to his mind. He hadn’t truly slept, since he didn’t really need it, but he had dozed a few times. “Good morning. And it’s Doctor,” he clarified, rising and dusting off his jacket and trousers. Steeling himself, he turned and faced her.  
  
Aside from her blue hair, her eyes were the first thing he noticed. The look in those dark blue was hauntingly familiar, reminding him strongly of A.J. and Red. They spoke of something unnatural, something hidden. The Doctor made a conscious effort to blink, feeling himself being drawn in by her gaze, and focused on her outfit instead. A yellow hat, a short-cut white jacket with a tight red turtleneck underneath, and tight gold and black short shorts. There was also a device of some sort around her neck which he was sure hadn’t been there last night.  
  
“This is my Pokegear. Mom said it came back from the repair shop late last night,” she explained, seeing his interest. “Although I don’t think I set the clock right...”  
  
“May I?” he asked awkwardly, still not quite sure how to act around her. He had spent some time thinking about her and his Charley last night, trying to determine what similarities, if any, there were between them. Had this girl been the reason the TARDIS had crashed in the manner she did? But that didn’t explain the bizarre power drain...There were too many questions he couldn’t answer, and it bothered him.  
  
“Sure.” The Doctor nodded in thanks as she handed him the Pokegear, digging his sonic screwdriver out with his free hand. It was an oddly-shaped device, with a screen on the upper part attached to a strap and a rectangular keyboard with a spring lid on the bottom. A quick scan and a check of the sun showed that the time was indeed wrong, but it only took him a moment to correct it. While he was at it, he also set his pocket watch to the right time.  
  
“There you go.”  
  
“Great, thanks.” She looped it around her neck again and gestured to his screwdriver. “What is that thing?”  
  
“My sonic screwdriver. It’s handy to have around. It can do all sorts of things.”  
  
“I see. Um, Mom said that Professor Elm wanted me to do something. You wanted to see him, right?” From her tone, he realized that she was just as unsure what to make of him as he was of her.  
  
Flashing her what he hoped was a pleasant smile, the Doctor nodded. “Yes, I have a few things to ask him.” If anyone would know about A.J., it would be the local professor.  
  
“Let’s go, then.” He allowed her to take the lead, looking around once again at New Bark Town as they headed towards the lab. It was nearly as quiet by day as it was by night, but it was still pretty early. Perhaps he could poke around a little bit after they saw Professor Elm.  
  
This time, the doors were unlocked, and he smiled as he entered the building, feeling his hearts beat a little bit faster. This was a completely new experience for him, and despite the circumstances, he was rather excited by the prospect of being able to study Pokemon up close. The interior of the lab was cool, and smelled faintly of old books. A young man standing by a bookshelf piled high with said books gestured for them to go further in, which they proceeded to do.  
  
“Ah, Charley, there you are! Who’s your friend?” A thin man with glasses and wearing a rumpled lab coat asked as they moved towards the back of the lab, and the Doctor studied him carefully, but saw no trace of the strange look that A.J. and Red possessed.  
  
“This is the Doctor. He said he wanted to talk to you,” she replied, shuffling off to the side as the professor stepped closer.  
  
“Doctor...?”  
  
“Just the Doctor. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Professor Elm,” the Doctor replied, holding out his hand.  
  
“Oh no, the pleasure’s all mine! What brings you to New Bark Town, Doctor?” Elm asked as they shook hands.  
  
“I was looking for someone, but it seems they don’t live here. I’d like to talk to you later, if you don’t mind.” He was uncomfortably aware of the girl beside him as he talked, knowing that she was the reason why he was here, not the other way around. “You said you had a task...?”  
  
“Ah, yes, yes I do! Charley, I have a favour to ask of you. I have an acquaintance called Mr. Pokemon who keeps finding weird things and then raving about his discoveries. Anyway, his latest e-mail says that this time, his discovery is real. Unfortunately, my aide and I are too busy to investigate. I know today is the day you get your first Pokemon, so you’re prefect for the job. Could you look into it for us? And the Doctor too, if he’s interested.”  
  
The Doctor smiled at the excitement in the professor’s voice, feeling that same spark inside of himself. He was eager to go see what this Mr. Pokemon had found, but the decision wasn’t up to him. He looked over at the girl beside him, seeing that she was frowning slightly. “I’m game for it if you are,” he said by way of encouragement.  
  
“Alright,” she agreed after a few moments, and Professor Elm beamed at them both.  
  
“Wonderful. I’ve prepared your starter Pokemon, Charley – they’re all rare Pokemon that we just discovered, Go on, pick one!”  
  
The Doctor looked around at the lab a bit more as she moved over to examine the Pokeballs sitting on a table nearby, his interest caught by a strange machine in the corner. “What’s that?” he asked, nodding towards it as the professor walked up to him.  
  
“That’s a modified version of the healing machine the PokeCenters have,” he explained, then lowered his voice. “I’m afraid I can’t give you any of these Pokemon, Doctor. Do you have any at all?”  
  
“That’s perfectly understandable, Professor. They are valuable creatures, after all. And no, I don’t.” He wasn’t surprised that the professor wasn’t willing to trust him that much, what with him being a stranger and all.  
  
“I thought as much. Not every parent lets their child explore the world, and it is possible to get by without a Pokemon...”  
  
The Doctor nodded, looking over at how the selection process was going. She was circling the table now, occasionally pausing and studying the Pokeballs intently. Watching her made him wish he knew what Pokemon A.J. had chosen, for he wondered if she would somehow follow in his footsteps.  
  
“Has she always been so...indecisive?” He hated to ask, but she was taking a while to choose a Pokemon.  
  
“Not when she was younger, no,” the professor said with a shake of his head. “But recently it seems like even a simple task takes longer than it should. I don’t know why, but it seems like her self-confidence is extremely low. I’m hoping having a Pokemon will change that.”  
  
“I hope so too.” Watching her reach for a Pokeball made him think back to their conversation the previous night. She had been worried about not doing everything right – was this what she meant?  
  
“You’ll take Cyndaquil, the fire Pokemon?” Elm asked as the middle Pokeball was picked up and held for a moment.  
  
“Yeah, I think so.” Despite having made a decision, her tone was still doubtful, and the Doctor wondered if she was second-guessing herself.  
  
The professor didn’t seem to notice, simply grinning and exclaiming, “I think that’s a great Pokemon too! Now, Mr. Pokemon lives near Cherrygrove, the next city over. And here’s my phone number, in case anything comes up.” As Elm rattled off his number, the Doctor wandered over to examine the healing machine further, thinking about his future. He would probably be better off with a Pokemon of some sort, but that would mean accepting that he was stuck here.  
  
“Doctor, I’m going to go home and pack a few extra things. I’ll meet you on the edge of town, ok?” He turned to look at his new travelling companion, seeing that she wasn’t ready for him to meet her family yet either.  
  
“Of course,” he said, giving her a smile. “I’ll see you later, then.”  
  
Professor Elm approached as she left, and got directly to the point. “Charley mentioned that you had a few questions for me. What can I help you with?”  
  
Recalling the reason why he had come to New Bark in the first place, the Doctor took a deep breath and asked, “Do you know if anyone by the name of A.J. has ever lived in this town?”  
  
“A.J.? Hm...” Elm rubbed his chin as he thought, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember anyone by that name ever calling New Bark home. Is it important that you find this A.J.?”  
  
“Oh no, I just wanted to chat. Still, I’m certain the information I was given said that he lived here.” The Doctor frowned, not liking the way the mysteries were piling up around him. “Also, I know this is an odd question, but are there any Pokemon related specifically to time?”  
  
“Ah, now that I can help you with!” The professor beamed at him, quickly explaining, “The Johto region has a legend that a certain Pokemon called Celebi is able to travel through time at will, along with having the ability to make forests flourish. It’s only a legend however, so I don’t know how much good it’ll do you. You might want to look in Azalea Town for more information. And I believe that another region has a mythical Pokemon who is linked to time. I can contact the local professor for you, if you’d like.”  
  
“That would be lovely. Thank you, Professor.”  
  
“I’m always happy to help a fellow researcher. Come with me.” They walked over to Elm’s desk, where the man started to rummage through various drawers. “I know I have it here somewhere...ah, this is it!” Elm produced a small but thick book from beneath a stack of Pokemon-related magazines, and held it out. “You look like you’re new to Johto, so have this guidebook. It served me well when I was younger.”  
  
“How very helpful. Thanks yet again.” The Doctor examined the battered book closely, seeing that it had been well-used. He was sure that he would be consulting it many times, since he knew practically nothing about the region he was about to see. Feeling like it was time to go, he tucked the guidebook away and said goodbye to Professor Elm and his aide.  
  
Breathing in the fresh air as he stepped outside of the lab, he looked around but saw no sign of his companion. Still packing, then. Turning right, he began to walk towards the path at the edge of town, deciding that he would sit and read until she arrived. As he reached the edge of the building, a flash of colour caught his eye and he looked over to see a boy with bright red hair leaning against the side of the building.  
  
The Doctor paused as their eyes met, the boy’s expression quickly deepening into a scowl. “What are you staring at? Mind your own business!” the boy snarled, glaring at him.  
  
“Good day to you too, young man,” the Doctor replied, giving him a cool nod before walking off. He could feel the boy’s eyes on him for quite some time, and was relieved when the forest bordering the town hid him from sight. Settling down under a tree, he pulled out the guidebook and flipped to the section on New Bark Town and surrounding area.

 

\- - -

  
“Whatcha reading?”  
  
“An old guidebook Professor Elm gave me,” he replied, showing it to her as he got to his feet.  
  
“That’s cool, I guess. Ready to go?”  
  
“Ready if you are.” He would have liked to stop by the TARDIS, but he had elected to keep exactly what he was hidden for the moment.  
  
As they walked out of town, he noticed that she was looking at him critically. After a minute, she asked, “Are you really going to wear that? It seems awfully formal...and, um, old-fashioned.”  
  
“I’ve always travelled in these clothes,” he said with a touch of indignation. “They’re quite study for the most part. Besides, I could ask the same of you. Are those clothes really fit for walking long distances?”  
  
“Sure they are! I look better than you do, anyway.” He smiled at that, glad to have finally gotten a rise out of her.  
  
“How about we agree to disagree on our outfits?” he suggested, and she nodded in agreement. As they neared the end of the path, the Doctor noticed a signpost that he must have walked right past the night before. “Route 29, hm? An interesting number to begin with.” He could think of several alien culture who regarded the number as lucky, and an equal number who avoided it at all costs.  
  
He hesitated before entering the tall grass that lay before them a few minutes later, now aware of the dangers that lurked within. His companion also halted as well, and he saw that she was clutching Cyndaquil’s Pokeball tightly.  
  
“I’m sure we’ll be fine. Wild Pokemon don’t tend to attack humans until provoked. And I’m rather good at running if it comes to that,” he said softly, trying to reassure her. She gave a tight nod, took a deep breath, and strode into the grass. He followed closely, listening to the faint rustles around them. They didn’t get far before a small rat-like creature leaped out at them, fangs bared.  
  
“Go, Cyndaquil!”  
  
Cyndaquil proved to be a small hedgehog Pokemon, covered in short fur – black on its head and back, and tan on its stomach and chin. Patches on its back glowed red-hot, quickly flaring up into proper flames as it sniffed the air with its long nose.  
  
“Tackle!”  
  
“Cyn!” It squeaked as the order was given, rushing towards the opposing rat Pokemon. The wild Pokemon was sent tumbling from the force of the blow, but quickly righted itself and whipped its tail from side to side menacingly.  
  
“Never mind that, Cyndaquil. Tackle it again.” This time, the attack sent the rat flying into the tall grass and out of view.  
  
Craning his neck, the Doctor spotted it sprawled in the dirt, apparently unconscious. “Out cold, by the looks of it,” he commented as Cyndaquil was recalled to its Pokeball. “Not bad for your first battle, don’t you think?”  
  
“Not bad? That Rattata didn’t even attack us,” she replied, once again taking the lead through the grass. Filing the name of the creature away for future reference, he simply stood back and watched during the next few battles against a small bird Pokemon, impressed by her skill in commanding her new Pokemon. Cyndaquil was also improving rapidly, learning a new fire-based attack by the end of the third fight.  
  
As they approached the area where he had left the TARDIS, he looked in that direction, wondering if he could somehow walk back to tonight. He would like to grab a few things before they got too far away, and that included a change of clothes.  
  
“I don’t think there’s anything that way, just more forest. Cherrygrove’s in the opposite direction, anyway,” his companion said, point off to the left. West, if he was remembering his compass directions for this Earth correctly.  
  
“Is it far?” he asked, eager to change the subject.  
  
“I don’t think so. Maybe another hour? It depends on how many Pokemon we run into.”  
  
An hour would make it late afternoon by the time they reached Cherrygrove, and the Doctor was unsure whether he wanted to travel at night. A glance over told him that spending the night in Cherrygrove would be for the best, for she looked rather tired.  
  
Seeing that she was rubbing her forehead, he asked the obvious question. “Not feeling well?”  
  
“I’m ok. Just got a bit of a headache.” She seemed bothered by his question, so he restrained his curiosity and focused on the scenery. Much of Route 29 was like he had witnessed the night before, alternating between forests in the north and meadows farther south. He noticed a small building nestled among the trees as they crossed a meadow, and he wondered if it led to the mountains in the distance. Perhaps on their way back to Professor Elm, they could check it out.  
  
The next forty-five minutes saw them talk to several helpful people who were also exploring Route 29, although none of them were Pokemon Trainers. Cherrygrove was almost within sight when his companion stopped and pointed to a tree up a nearby hill. “Look, it’s a berry tree. Wanna go get some?”  
  
Picking out bright spots of colour amid the green leaves of the tree, he nodded in agreement and climbed the gentle slope with her, impressed that she had spotted the it before he had. As they got closer, the Doctor saw that most of the tree was covered in flowers at various stages of growth, most of the fruit having already been picked. There were a few left however, so they helped themselves to one each.  
  
“I believe the guidebook said that this type of berry will restore a small amount of health to an injured Pokemon,” he said as he examined the small red fruit.  
  
“That sounds about right. We should check the tree again when we come back, since there might be more then.”  
  
“A fine idea.” Placing the berry in an inner pocket for now, he wished he had some money on him so he could at least invest in a proper bag. He had several in the TARDIS, but they were little help to him here.  
  
Finding the path to the south again took a bit of searching, and they encountered an unfamiliar mammalian Pokemon which liked to lift itself up using its long tail, but Cyndaquil defeated it without incident. The dirt path was free of grass however, so no other Pokemon pestered them as they approached Cherrygrove. Like with New Bark Town, the forest closed in on either side of the path, but the Doctor thought it looked quite pretty at this time of day with the sunlight slanting down through the trees.  
  
“Well, here we are. Welcome to Cherrygrove City, Doctor,” his companion said as the trees thinned out and the buildings appeared.  
  
“Seems rather small for a city...” he murmured as he got his first look at Cherrygrove. It was hardly larger than New Bark Town, and he had found that small as well.  
  
“Excuse me!” They both turned as an older man walked up to them, a large smile on his face. “Cherrygrove may be small, but it has plenty of attractions for visitors! I’ll give you both a tour, if you’d like.”  
  
“Sure, that would be great. Coming, Doctor?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“Excellent. Follow me!”  
  
They stood outside of the man’s house half an hour later, the Doctor slightly tired but happy to have seen the city. The small island just offshore was of particular interest to him, but boats and swimmers were discouraged from visiting unless they had strong Pokemon with them.  
  
“Here, take this as a gift,” their guide said as he emerged from his home, holding out a thin card. “It’s a Map Card for your Pokegear. Pokegear becomes more useful the more cards you add, you know.”  
  
“Thank you,” the Doctor said as his companion busied herself inserting the card. The map in his guidebook was useful, but probably a bit out of date.  
  
“Thank you for letting me show you around. Good luck on your travels, you two!” Flashing them a final smile, he went back inside his house.  
  
“Shall we go to the PokeCenter for the night? I’m just about ready for supper myself.” He had almost forgotten that he hadn’t eaten in nearly a day, but the prospect of a nice hot meal appealed greatly to him.  
  
“Sounds good. Mom packed me some Cinnabar Volcano Burgers and buns, so we can have those after I get Cyndaquil a meal. I hope you like spicy food!”  
  
They shared a small smile, and he replied with, “I’m sure I’ll be able to handle it.” Back at the Academy, he’d once been dared to take a bite of one of the hottest peppers in the universe, so compared to that, he was certain that this Volcano Burger would be quite mild.  
  
The Doctor dropped behind a few steps as they headed for the PokeCenter, examining his new companion. He couldn’t bring himself to use her name, not yet. _Charley_. His hearts still ached at the mere thought of that name, and while the two girls were nearly nothing alike in terms of personality, he still felt that familiar tug of curiosity towards this one. There was something mysterious surrounding her, and despite himself, he wanted to find out what it was.


End file.
